Oklahoma tops Big 12 preseason poll

Sooners return two All-Americans in Rickets and Shults

NORMAN, Okla. – Oklahoma received seven first-place votes and tallied 79 points to top the 2011 Big 12 preseason coaches’ softball poll. The selection marks the third consecutive season the Sooners have been chosen as the preseason favorite.

Missouri (71) was chosen second and received two first-place votes, while Texas was third with 69 points and one first-place vote. Texas A&M (5) and Oklahoma State (50) rounded out the top five. Baylor (40), Texas Tech (33), Nebraska (26), Iowa State (15) and Kansas (13) placed sixth through 10th. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams.

The Sooners returned to Norman Sunday afternoon. Tuesday marked the first day of classes and the first full team practice for the squad. Oklahoma returned 10 letterwinners from last season’s NCAA Super Regional team. The Sooners return two All-Americans in Keilani Ricketts and Jessica Shults.

OU went 47-12 during the 2010 season and finished second in the conference regular-season standings with a 13-3 mark.